Metaphysics and John Donne

 

Presented by Steve Sanders

 

Grade Level/Subject: Grade 12, AP Honors English

Overview: In this lesson, I plan to teach the students about metaphysics through the works of John Donne and through an assignment on Death.

Purpose: Teaching metaphysics and John Donne to a class of very intelligent students can give them something very open to let their minds do great things. The metaphysical aspect of 17th Century literature is a classic part of the cannon of literature that these students can grasp and interact with on a very productive level.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

  1. grasp an understanding of metaphysics
2. understand what contingent truths, metaphysical conceits, and paradoxes are and the function they serve in metaphysics.

3. see the metaphysical aspects of John Donneís A Valediction Forbidding Mourning and Holy Sonnet 10.

4. be able to create their own creative piece about Death using metaphysical concepts.

Resources/Materials Needed:

Handouts

England in Literature textbook

 

 

 

Activities and Procedure:

  1. As an introduction, I will shift the students from the topic they just completed, literature of the Renaissance, to the topic at hand, 17th Century Poetry. I plan to do this by comparing and contrasting the two types of literature briefly, then getting into the topic at hand.
  2. I will then write the words "Metaphysics," "contingent truths," "metaphysical conceits," and "paradoxes" on the board. I will then ask the students for the definition of "Metaphysics". Knowing they probably wonít know, I will break it down. "What does ëmetaí mean? What does ëphysicsí mean?" Eventually, I will give them the actual definition. "Metaphysics is a reality that transcends physical science. They are ultimate realities, but not physical." I will give examples, such as death, virtue, and love.
  3. I will then get into contingent truths and how they help to make the metaphysical understandable. I will tell the students that there needs to be some type of convention so we can grasp the metaphysical. "Contingent truths allow us to use concrete things to explain the metaphysical."
  4. I will then use examples of apples used to stand for numbers when young children are first exposed to Mathematics. The actual numbers are metaphysical, the apples are contingent truths.
  5. I will then explain what a "metaphysical conceit" is. "A metaphysical conceit is a type of contingent truth. It is an extended metaphor that compares two dissimilar things. For example, the apple and the number one are completely different, but apples do the job to make people understand mathematics."
  6. I will then explain the paradox as another type of contingent truth. Since the students already know what a paradox is in the modern conventions of language, I will ask, "What is a paradox?" Students will respond with their answers, probably along the lines of "a contradiction." I will then give them a pertinent definition. "A paradox is a statement of common belief which seems contradictory, unbelievable, or absurd, but is true in fact. For example, 'the child is father to the man'. What does that mean?" This will offer a short discussion and explanation.
  7. I will then move on to "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning." I will first read a pertinent selection on the first page of the handout containing this piece. Then, I will give some background about "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning." I will talk about how Donne wrote it as a farewell to his wife before one of his voyages through Central Europe. I will then have one of the students read the piece aloud.
  8. I will then go back to analyze the piece and the students can see the metaphysical nature of the poem and the conventions Donne used to get his point across. I will start by pointing to the structural differences of the first two stanzas in comparison to the rest of the poem. I will ask, "Why are these stanzas visually different from the rest of the poem?" I may need to prompt the students towards understanding that these stanzas set the scene for the poem, they describe the situation and the love between Donne and his wife. I will then ask for students to explain the message of these stanzas.
  9. I will then ask "How is the metaphysical explained in this poem? What does Donne use to make the reader understand his abstract ideas?" Students will provide examples of metaphysical conceits that are used in the poem. I will ask them to explain what these conceits mean and I will elaborate and explain the two that are found in the poem. I will explain the gold, which represents their love, as being strong and unbreakable, though stretchable. I will also explain the two extensions of a compass, using an actual compass, to show the relationship between Donne and his wife while he is away.
  10. After the students fully understand the meaning, metaphysical nature, and use of contingent truths in "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning", I will move onto "Holy Sonnet 10." I will instruct the students to turn to the appropriate page in their textbook, and I will begin reading the poem. I will then give some background on the poem. I will say, "After his wife's death, Donne became obsessed with death and the ideas surrounding it. He went on to write 26 sonnets dealing with death. So let's go back and see how Donne deals with death. What does he say? How does he say it?" After I get the students to see that Donne is speaking to a personified Death- he is attacking Death and refuting his power, I will then distribute the handout that contains the assignment along with the lyrics to R.E.M.'s "Try Not to Breathe."
  11. I will then shift my focus from Donne to a more personal interaction with Death. I will explain my own first face to face encounter with Death through this R.E.M. song. I will tell them how I felt so isolated that I began to see Death as a mystical escape; something positive and something worth obsessing over.
  12. I will then have them look at a specific portion of the lyrics to the song to exemplify what the song said to me. Then, I will give the students about 15 minutes to answer the questions on the next two pages of the handout regarding Death and their interactions and feelings about it. This will setup the creative assignment they will have to prepare for the next day.
  13. I will then explain the assignment. "You will create your own portrait of who or what you think Death is. You can use any genre you want (essay, story, dialogue, or poetry), but tomorrow, you will have to get up in the front of the room and present it to the class." After fielding questions from the students and making sure that they all understand the assignment, I will tell them how I expect them to do a good job with this and how they need to take this very seriously, since the topic is very serious.
  14. I will explain how the next day of class will go. "At the beginning of class, I will go to the back of the room, and one by one, you will come up and read you piece. There is to be no speaking and complete respect for the people presenting."
  15. After that, I will end the class by playing the R.E.M. song on the CD player.

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